Chapter Six
Heath was already at the Big House when the carriage with Sharon and her children pulled up. He saw Nick sitting up front handling the horses, while two children sat beside him. The young boy had copper colored hair, while the girl had blonde curls that looked like spun gold. Heath had not met the children when he was at Kilkenny Farms, but the resemblance to Sharon was clear.
After the carriage stopped, Heath went over and opened the door, to help his mother, Priscilla, and Sharon disembark. Nick was busy helping the kids down, but Heath heard the little girl ask about seeing the horses.
"Tara lass we just arrived." Sharon had just taken Heath's hand to alight from the carriage when she spoke to her daughter. She gave him a smile that warmed his heart, even as he was enjoying the feel of her hand in his before she removed it. The little girl came over to her mother, and Heath noted the same dark blue eyes as Sharon; he wondered if Sharon's late husband had been blonde.
"Mama, I want to go see the horses." Tara spoke quickly, giving her mother a pleading smile. The boy came over to his mother. Heath thought it interesting that the boy had Sharon's hair, but greenish eyes.
"Young lady you need to remember your manners." Sharon put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "Now come say hello to Mr. Heath." She turned her daughter to face Heath, giving him a rueful smile.
"Mum you know she is horse mad." The young boy shrugged his shoulders and turned to Heath. "I am Sean Flynn, and this is my sister Tara. Thank you for inviting us to your ranch." Sean held out his hand and Heath took it, very impressed with the boy's self-possession.
"It is nice to meet you Sean, and Tara." Heath took the boy's hand as he noticed the look of pride on Sharon's face. "My name is Heath, as your mother indicated." He looked over at Sharon with a smile. Heath knew he would be very proud to have a son like Sean.
"Mr. Heath may I please see the horses. I love horses." Tara smiled up at him, and Heath found his heart melting.
"Why don't we all go inside; and get settled. Kids, you can have some lemonade in the nursery with my boys, and then Mr. Nick and Mr. Heath will take you to the barn, if it is all right with your mother." Priscilla announced, and Sharon nodded in agreement.
"I need to get out of this monkey suit anyway." Nick declared, and then looked at the women. "You all look very pretty in your Sunday finery." He bowed, and Heath took note of the dresses. His mother was stately in dark blue, Priscilla had on a peach and cream ensemble with dark green trim and an elaborate hat with cream-colored roses. Sharon was wearing a dress with a blue and green plaid design on a white background. Her hat was blue and green ruffled ribbon, which offset her copper-colored hair.
It struck Heath that the outfit was fancier than the simple dresses he had always seen her in, but very becoming. Heath then chided himself for his scrutiny; he was a married man and should not be looking at what another woman was wearing.
"Miss Tara, may I say how pretty you look." Heath formally bowed to the little girl, as he took her hand. "May I escort you into the house?" He felt the need to deflect attention away from him, as if his thoughts could have been read. He turned, and walking with Tara, followed by everyone else, Heath entered the house.
Half an hour later Sharon, trying to compose herself, sipped the sherry that Victoria had offered her. She was now sitting in the front parlor, after escorting the children upstairs to the nursery. Rosalie the Nanny was waiting, and Sharon noted how Priscilla took care, getting down on her knees, to introduce the children to each other.
Priscilla had then explained, after introducing Rosalie to Sharon, that the kids would have a snack, and then head to the barn. Heath and Nick would be waiting for their arrival, and Sharon was assured the children would be in good hands. That comment made her think of how she had felt when Heath had taken her hand, to help her out of the carriage; she smiled without meaning too.
Sharon took another sip of her sherry and tried not to worry about Sean and Tara – or rather she admitted to herself Tara. Her daughter loved horses and was fearless without a thought of the danger that could happen. Sharon had noticed how attached Tara had become to Heath, so she hoped her daughter would be on her best behavior. She knew that Tara missed Kilkenny Farms, the horses and Grand Da Liam, as they called the older man.
"Sean and Tara will be fine. Nick and Heath will keep a close eye on them, and Rosalie is there too." Priscilla's hand reached over to touch hers, as she spoke the reassuring words.
"It was that obvious?" Sharon laughed ruefully. "They were so excited to come out to the ranch. Thank you again for the invitation. I just don't want them to cause trouble." She shook her head.
"Alden has that covered." Priscilla declared, and Victoria nodded her head as she mentioned several scrapes the toddler had gotten into.
"He is Nick all over again." Victoria finished her stories and sipped her sherry.
"The house is as beautiful as I remember it." Sharon changed the subject, trusting that her children would be all right. She could still remember the first time she had been in the house, over five years ago when Heath had brought her to dinner. It was not as big as the castle back in Ireland, but Sharon could remember noting that it was just as grand.
"The chandelier is new though? And the upholstery has changed?" She used her hand to indicate the front hall, and the furniture in the parlor. Her memory was picturing silvery grey brocade that echoed the marble around the fireplace. Now the fabric was bright blue velvet, which glowed against the finely carved dark wood of the furniture. The marble mantel piece looked whiter against the blue pieces; further Sharon noticed on either end were some fancy decorations of delicate floral porcelain with gilt trim. In the middle was a floral arrangement, as stunning as the larger one in the central hall.
"Priscilla and I have been freshening things up. The chandelier is Venetian" Victoria went on to talk about other changes. "The back parlor was the hardest because the men liked it was it was. We only changed the upholstery, rug, and drapes; everything else was off-limits especially the pool table." The ladies all laughed at the comment.
Sharon remembered the tiny little house she and Paul had shared during their brief marriage. There had never been enough money for anything new, but she had managed to sew some bright curtains for the rooms. Paul had never liked them, and one night he had torn down the ones in the parlor. She shivered as she recalled that night.
"Are you cold? We can light the fire." Victoria had noticed her shiver, and Sharon was quick to decline, blaming it on a twitch in her foot.
"Will Heath's wife be joining us? I have never met her." She decided to change the subject to one that she had been curious about for weeks. At the café Sharon had heard several things about Sarah Rose Barkley, and even met the woman's mother, now married to the Sheriff. The comments had all been oblique, and she had not been in a position to ask for more details. Further, she had no reason to be asking about the woman and doing so would only have started unwanted gossip.
"Sarah is up in San Francisco. Would you like some more sherry?" Victoria picked up the cut crystal decanter and offered it to Priscilla and Sharon, who both declined, she poured the mahogany-colored liquid into her glass. "Heath and Sarah have a house in San Francisco, where they spend time. Sarah is very involved in business matters up there. Have you been to the city?"
"No, I have not been to San Francisco." Sharon answered, not wanting to add that she had never had the time or money to make a trip to the city. She was puzzled at Victoria's remark that Heath spent time in San Francisco, which contradicted what had been said in town.
"I think we need to remedy that." Priscilla spoke up, her eyes bright. "After the first of the year you, I and Audra should go up to the city for the day. We can look in the shops and have lunch. By then I will be ready for a change of scenery; if not for this I would suggest before Christmas." She patted her waistline which reflected how far along she was.
"Mrs. Barkley, the food will be ready in ten minutes." Silas came into the room, and Sharon realized that she was not going to get any of her questions answered.
"I will go down to the barn to let everyone know." Victoria stood up, "why don't you girls stay here and finish your sherry." Sharon's hopes rose when the older lady made her announcement. She carefully waited several minutes, asking Priscilla about the porcelain ornaments on the mantle.
"Can I ask you something personal?" Sharon lowered her voice slightly, and leaned closer to Priscilla, who smiled and nodded her head. "I don't want to pry, but is there something with Heath's wife? I have overheard several comments at the café." She left it at that, wanting to see the response she would get.
"I am sorry that there is talk in town, but it doesn't surprise me." Priscilla took a sip of her sherry and sighed sadly. "Sarah and I are not close, and Heath is a very private person. I don't have an answer for you, and frankly I have not wanted to ask."
Sharon understood what Priscilla was not saying; the marriage was in trouble as the comments Sharon had heard speculated. She was surprised that Priscilla was not close with her sister-in-law; from what she had seen of Priscilla so far, she was kind and loving. Maybe it was Sarah? But she was Heath's wife, and it was apparent that Priscilla was close to her husband's family.
"Well that is not good." Sharon sipped her sherry, as she realized she was not going to get any more information. Deciding that a change of subject would be welcomed by Priscilla "I have been meaning to ask you about some books that Sean might enjoy reading." Her companion's smile made it clear to Sharon that she had done the right thing.
Heath watched Tara hold tightly to the saddle pommel, as the horse trotted slowly around on the lunge line. Buttercup was an older, placid Palomino mare who had been chosen for those reasons. Thomas Henry rode her on the lunge line usually, but today Nick had decided to put his boys on Jester, a small but slightly livelier horse.
Nick had discussed the choice of horses with Heath, who agreed that Buttercup was the better choice for Sean and Tara. Heath had added he really did not know how much riding experience Sharon's kids had, so it was better to be safe. It turned out that Sean was very proficient, and let it be known that he had ridden by himself, off the lunge line. Tara too seemed very familiar with horses, despite her small size.
"I think that's enough, Tara. It will be time to eat soon." Heath used the line to slow Buttercup to a walk and bring her into him. He could see that Tara would have been happy to keep on going from the look in her eyes. When she'd been riding, they had been shining with happiness, and it had made him think of Sharon from those long-ago days when they were courting.
He lifted her down from the horse, and watched as she patted the golden shoulder carefully, and said thank you to the mare. One of the hands came to take Buttercup, and Heath walked with Tara over to the corral, where several horses were standing by the fence. Nick was there holding Alden, while Thomas Henry had climbed to stand on one of the rungs of the fence.
Sean was next to Thomas Henry, and they were both paying attention to a spunky black mare who was frolicking around the corral. The boys were in deep conversation about something Heath could see; when he got closer, he heard them talking about wanting to ride the horse. He smiled as he listened to the conversation so typical of boys.
"Mr. Heath lift me up! I want to pet the horse." Tara announced, holding her arms out to Heath, and he carefully lifted her up, and holding her against him took her over to the fence. "Pretty horse." She pointed at the black mare who was turned in response to Tara's voice.
The mare then came over to Tara and stuck her nose out to be petted. Heath could tell the boys were very jealous, even as he kept a close eye on the horse. She was young, and slightly high-strung, but that could have been because she was in new surroundings. Brahmin had purchased several cattle horses, and she had come along with the package. The mare was fine boned and looked very different than the other horses.
"What is her name?" Tara asked, gently petting the velvet soft nose; the horse nickered in return and seemed calm. Heath and Nick looked at each other, impressed at what they were seeing.
"She doesn't have a name. We just purchased her and really don't know anything about her." Nick answered, smiling fondly at the little girl. Heath could only imagine how Nick would react with a daughter who would have him wrapped around her finger.
"Moonstar. That should be her name." Tara declared, and Heath asked her why. In reply she pointed to the moon shaped spot on the forehead, and then the spot of white beneath it, that was slightly starshaped."
"Moonstar she is then." Nick replied in a loud voice, his laughter ringing around the corral.
"When I get bigger, I am going to ride her." Tara stated, before Sean frowned at her. "That is if I am allowed to." She finished prettily, smiling at Heath, who only saw Sharon in her blue eyes.
"I think it will be a long time before you are big enough to ride her. You had better hope that Grand Da Liam has a pony when we go to Kilkenny Farms." Sean reached out to stroke the black filly's ears, which she graciously allowed. "He was going to talk to Uncle Jimmy about getting a pony for us to share."
"I don't want to share a pony. I want my own pony." Tara pouted, and Heath felt bad for the children. It must be hard to live in the city when you are used to a farm and liked it, as Sean and Tara did. He thought about the barn on his property, and what it would be like to have a little girl who wanted a pony, and you had the ability to give her one.
Heath pulled Tara closer, her arms tightening around his neck. He looked over at Sean and ruffled his hair. They were great kids, and it was clear that it was in large part due to Sharon. For one moment he let himself imagine that they were his children.
Victoria came into the stable yard and saw the group at the corral. She walked over and was in time to see Heath holding Tara, while Sean stood on one of the rungs next to them. The children were not the only ones beaming, Victoria noted. Her middle son looked happier than she had seen him in a long time, which caused her heart to tighten.
What she had been afraid of, back at the wedding in June, was starting to happen. Victoria knew that she would have to nip the situation in the bud. She frowned, as she realized she would have to move up her plans with Sarah. Stiffening her shoulders, she put a smile on her face and walked over to let everyone know the food was ready.
